1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image combining apparatuses and control methods for the same. More particularly, though not exclusively, the present invention relates to an image combining apparatus and a control method for the same that load a photograph, scan an original document, print an image on a printing sheet, and combine image data of the loaded photograph and image data of the scanned original document.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the recent widespread use and enhanced performance of image input devices, such as digital cameras and color scanners, and image output devices, such as color printers, various usages of digital photographs have been suggested.
In addition to simply shooting photographs and printing the photographs on printing sheets, the photographs are often used after performing various processing and editing operations. For example, a user mails the photographs after writing messages thereon, or puts the photographs in an album after adding titles and illustrations thereto.
As mentioned above, some methods of adding handwritten images and illustrations to photographs loaded from image input devices have been suggested.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-040933 discloses a method of combining a photograph and a handwritten image. More specifically, in this method, a loaded photograph is displayed on a display device such as a liquid crystal panel. A user then writes the handwritten image using a touch panel input device that is disposed on the display device. Accordingly, the photograph and the handwritten image are combined.
In addition, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 09-139832 discloses another method of combining a photograph and a handwritten image. In this method, a scanner scans a handwritten image written on a sheet other than a sheet having a loaded photograph printed thereon. Then, the photograph and the scanned handwritten image are combined.
However, the known methods have the following disadvantages when selectively writing handwritten images and drawing illustrations in a background part, not containing a subject such as people, of a photograph.
Methods employing a touch panel input device allow a user to directly write handwritten characters and draw illustrations over the photograph while viewing the photograph. Nevertheless, these methods require a display device and a touch panel input device, which leads to an increase in hardware cost.
In addition, the resolution of the handwritten image depends on the resolution of the display device or the touch panel input device, which undesirably limits detailed expression of the handwritten image.
On the other hand, methods of scanning a handwritten image allow a user to quickly and easily write the handwritten image. Additionally, the methods allow the user to create various types of messages using various kinds of writing tools. However, these methods use a handwriting sheet different from a sheet having the photograph printed thereon, thus preventing the user from confirming the positional relationship between the photograph and the handwritten image to be superimposed on the photograph when generating the handwritten image.
Additionally, the photograph may be printed as a background image in a handwriting area of a handwriting sheet in a light color (i.e., a dropout color) using dye ink. In such a case, depending on the kinds of writing tool, such as a pen, to be used to write the handwritten image, ink of the writing tool may mix with the dye ink of the background image, which causes a blur on the handwriting sheet. As a result, the scanned color may differ from the color that the user has intended, or the combined image may include the printed background image. Moreover, not only the kinds of writing tool used such as a pen but also the kinds of printing medium used cause a similar disadvantage.